Twelve Days of Christmas
by aussiebabe290
Summary: Twelve days of Christmas, twelve days of Beca and Jesse drabbles. Christmas through the years with the aca boy and aca girl Jesse predicted on aca initiation night. COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1

The station was the same as always. Dark room, music blaring- if it weren't for the miniature Christmas tree on the No Sex Desk people wouldn't have even thought it was the holidays.

Station manager Luke had rebelled against the playing of Christmas carols on the radio. But that was not going to stop Jesse Swanson humming 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer' and a selection of other holiday classics.

But he snapped his jaw shut when Beca Mitchell marched through the door.

"Hey there Becs", he said carefully, as the tiny brunette tossed her backpack down, her jacket quickly following. "How was Bellas practice?"

Her eyes darkened, and he took a step back (obviously he was just too cheerful for her existence). "You're feliz navidead to me".

Jesse held his hands up. "Whoa!"

"Sorry", she mumbled, picking up a stack of CDs. "do you want to know what Aubrey had us rehearsing today?"

"I'd love to know".

"'We Wish You a Merry Christmas'. That was the singular song we sang for three hours straight. In her death trap shoes, and- you'll like this- Rudolph noses. And she yelled at us when we sounded all stuffy, because the stupid foam blocked off our airways".

He would have laughed, but if he had laughed, she probably would have killed him with the death trap seven inch heels she had stowed away in her backpack (because despite sprinting cross- campus wearing them once, she had not made a habit out of it).

"Aw, Bec", he said instead, offering her a juice pouch (strawberry kiwi. Her favourite).

"Thanks", she said instead.

They worked in silence for a few moments, before she spoke up again.

"It's not that I'm a Grinch", she said suddenly. "I love Christmas. Just, you know not the commercial, Rudolph nose and antler wearing side of it. Christmas is actually my favourite holiday".

(The week before she had informed him it was Easter, but he'd let it slide.)

"Really?" he tried. "What do you do for Christmas?"

"Eat turkey with my mother and grandparents". She shrugged. "Except this year. This year I'm spending it here, with Dad and the stepmonster".

(That was probably adding to her bad mood.)

"You could always come to New York with me", he shrugged, and she froze for a moment.

"Aubrey would have a field day", she almost chuckled.

(The Oath. He remembered.)

"So, are the Bellas doing a secret Santa?" he questioned instead.

"Yep. I got Stacie. I'm thinking a box of condoms". She nodded thoughtfully, and Jesse spluttered with laughter (because he had met Stacie and that was probably all she needed). "Why, are the Trebles?"

He sighed heavily. "I got Bumper Allan. What do you get the douche who's got his own line of sports sandals?"

(Bumper Allan was the biggest douche that Beca had ever met. And that was saying something.)

She just chuckled. "Absolutely no idea".

* * *

When she saw Jesse wearing a red and green Christmas sweater, she started to laugh. And it wasn't just the little titter that Jesse had heard before (that was so not a laugh); this was a proper belly laugh that rang through the whole studio.

"What are you wearing?" she gasped hysterically.

His grin was ear to ear. "You like it?" he questioned. "Grandma made it for me. I can ask her to make you one too!"

Even the thought of wearing one of those monstrosities wasn't enough to quiet Beca. She laughed until her stomach ached and she thought she was going to be sick, leaning against the No Sex Desk.

(He could totally get used to this. He could make her laugh; he just needed to get out his Christmas sweaters. He had a whole bunch.)

* * *

"This is the first year we've had a Christmas riff off", Beca complained. "and Aubrey's insisting we rehearse. She's actually insane".

"She is", Jesse agreed with a nod. "So, tell me, is she making you wear your red noses?"

"I fought that. I am fighting that until I'm blue in the face, I am not wearing a red nose".

(The cold in the empty pool had tinged their noses pink that afternoon, Fat Amy had argued that was good enough. And then again, Fat Amy had asked if she could wear a Santa Claus suit.)

"Maybe she'll paint it on", Jesse suggested, and Beca paled at the thought.

"Sweet Jesus", she breathed.

* * *

"Merry Christmas weirdo", Jesse said, on their last shift together before their Christmas break.

"Merry Christmas nerd", she shot back, a smile creeping onto her face.

When Luke saw two presents under the mini Christmas tree on the No Sex Desk upon their departure, he grinned. But when he saw the nametags, he frowned.

"Damn interns", he grumbled.

(He hoped that they wouldn't finally realise their feelings for each other on his desk.)


	2. Chapter 2

"You two are honestly the sweetest", Stacie cooed, as Jesse and Beca strolled through the doors of the Bellas space.

"Hey, I thought we weren't allowed to bring the enemy to practice!" Fat Amy protested. "No man candy in here, Beca".

"We're here to discuss the Christmas riff-off", Jesse said smoothly, dropping Beca's hand.

"Oh, what was it you said earlier this year, Bec?" Fat Amy stroked her chin thoughtfully. "Something about-"

"Amy", Beca said warningly.

"Something about the Christmas riff-off dying along with Aubrey's flight attendant uniforms".

"I seem to remember something like that", Stacie agreed, and Beca scowled at them.

"Girls".

"You don't like the Christmas riff-off, Becs?" Jesse turned to Beca, eyes wide in mock surprise.

(He didn't know why he was surprised. A Christmas riff-off was not something that Beca Mitchell would do. The year before, Stacie had suggested that they wear Mean Girls-esque costumes and he had heard about that for the next four days.)

"Beca's got a Christmas sweater this year", Jesse informed them.

(He had tweeted out a picture of Beca in her Swanson family Christmas sweater and it had received three retweets and seven favourites. She was going to kill him when she realised.)

"We should hang some mistletoe around here", Cynthia Rose declared, and Fat Amy was quick to protest.

"No, no, that won't be necessary".

Jesse chuckled (because Beca had filled him in on all the details he had missed on the infamous 'flying Mexican food' adventure that they refused to speak about). "Beca and I have also decided we're going to initiate duets between the Treblemakers and the Bellas".

The noise the Bellas made was unlike anything Beca had ever heard before. Screams of 'I'm gonna crush their flat butts' and 'just to be clear, the Oath doesn't exst any more, right?' filled the performance space and Beca laughed, leaning into Jesse's chest.

* * *

The year before, Beca Mitchell wouldn't have been the girl singing 'Baby Its Cold Outside' with Jesse Swanson. And yet there she was, wrapped up in layers of clothing, singing with the aca nerd, Stacie swaying suggestively behind them (despite Beca's best effort to curb that habit), Fat Amy arguing with one of the junior Trebles over how she was going to win.

She was in deep.

(Aubrey Posen was so right.)

(Not that she'd ever admit that.)


	3. Chapter 3

"What's wrong with this tree?" Beca questioned, hands on her hips. "This is a nice looking tree!"

"Beca, it's smaller than you!" Jesse protested.

She frowned. "You're not making friends here Swanson", she glared.

"I like this one". Jesse pointed to a seven foot tree, and Beca's eyes grew wide. "That's twice the size of me!"

"Well that's not too hard. Look at it! It's perfect! It's just the right size for our place!"

(It was so not the right size for their place. Their place was probably smaller than the tree.)

"It's bigger than me! By so much!" she frowned, pouting.

(Jesse bit his tongue to refrain from making a smart remark- when they were in New York for Jesse's last birthday; his seven year old cousin was the same height as Beca. The poor girl didn't stand a chance.)

"It's a nice tree!" Jesse protested again. "If you're nice I'll lift you up so you can put the star on top".

The look on Beca's face was pure gold.

The hit to Jesse's stomach was not.

* * *

"I told you it'd fit!" Jesse crowed. "there you were, complaining the entire way home that it didn't fit on top of the car so how was it going to fit in the door, well what do you call that Beca? Look! The tree fitted and life is good".

"Jesse, dear", Beca said, saccharine sweetly (because Jesse was pushing her Christmas loving heart), "We don't have nearly enough decorations for a TREE OF THAT SIZE".

(Jesse had won.)

(She didn't know how that happened.)

(But his face had lit up like a child's, and that had made it kinda worth it.)

"Beca, dear", Jesse said, just as sweetly, "We'll just have to get more!"

* * *

Their living room was lit up brighter than the Las Vegas strip.

Beca, squinting slightly, stared at Jesse. "Now, I love Christmas as much as the next person, but there is no way that five packets of lights was a decent amount for this tree".

"I know, next year we'll have to get more".

The tree was bigger than her and she'd probably never see again, but Beca Mitchell had seen the look of utter delight on her boyfriend's face.

(And not that she'd ever tell him, but it made it all worth it.)


	4. Chapter 4

Beca Mitchell knew that holidays in the Swanson house would be on an extreme level. She had been there for Easter with Jesse, and that had been enough to cement her views. In her mind, Christmas at the Swansons would be something directly out of one of Jesse's films.

And upon pulling up to the quaint New York house, it was confirmed.

"Jesus", she said, her eyes widening.

"Oh", Jesse said as an afterthought, opening the passenger side door for her. "There's a lot of mistletoe. My parents are big on decorations".

He had to have got it from somewhere. The amount of decorations their apartment held was beyond comprehendible.

But she understood completely, standing on the porch of his childhood home.

"Wow", she said under her breath.

"Jesse! Beca!"

And they were enveloped in hugs by Barry, Caroline and Mikaela Swanson, Jesse's parents and younger sister. Caroline, once letting the two of them go, ushered them inside…

Where Beca saw a tree even bigger than the one Jesse had insisted on ramming through the door of their apartment.

("Look, Becs! It fits perfectly!" "Jesse… dear. IT DOES NOT FIT".)

"Wow that's a big tree", she said diplomatically.

"Hey, it's even bigger than ours!" Jesse said brightly. "Mikaela, did you get the photo of the tree I sent you?"

Mikaela nodded. "It was heaps bigger than last year's".

"It is, isn't it Beca?" Jesse's eyes twinkled and she narrowed her eyes at him playfully before answering saccharine sweetly.

"It is, it really is".

Jesse laughed, wrapping his arm around her waist and pressing a kiss to her cheek. When she looked at him in slight surprise (she was not a PDA person, and he knew that), he motioned above them.

"Mistletoe".

* * *

She had decided by the next morning that she hated mistletoe.

She always had. The concept of it freaked her out. She could get stuck under the sprig with a freak or a creep or worse, someone like Bumper Allen. She could relive the grade five elementary school Christmas party, where, despite being in a 'relationship' with Cathy Hyatt, Jamie Wellerstein had tried to kiss her cheek. That was trauma she'd rather not ever speak about.

(Jamie Wellerstein had scratched 'Jamie + Cathy 4EVA' into his desk, and Beca was left wondering why he had tried to kiss her cheek and scar her for life. Cathy Hyatt could have him.)

But having Jesse around made it so much better than having Jamie Wellerstein.

* * *

"What are you doing out here, nerd?" Beca wanted to know, slipping outside with two mugs of tea wrapped in her hands.

"Watching the snow", he told her, breathing out a puff of white air and making her smile. She slipped beside him onto the love seat, and he accepted the mug of tea, kissing her cheek. Her eyebrows raised and he motioned above them.

"Mistletoe", he said in explanation. "My mother".

Beca just nodded, curling into his side.

(He'd changed her. For the better.)

"Hey Becs", Jesse said quietly, and she looked at him curiously, taping a sip of her tea.

"Yeah?"

"I was wondering… I've been wondering this for a while, actually".

"Yeah?" she raised her eyebrows.

Jesse was big on huge gestures. But she was not. So he was doing it her way.

"Beca Mitchell, in the past few years you've made me happier than I've ever been. I want to continue to be this happy, and the only way to do this is to keep you in my life. Beca Mitchell, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife? Will you marry me?"

Tears were running down her face and she all but threw her mug of tea aside, launching herself at him.

"Yes", she sobbed against his mouth. "Yes, yes I will!"

Jesse pulled Beca closer to him, kissing her passionately. Once the two separated, he slipped the most beautiful diamond ring she had ever seen onto her finger. Beca, sobbing, kissed him again, wrapping her arms possessively around his neck.

She did so not hate mistletoe.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks to everyone who picked up on the reference in the last chapter! And for the guest reviewer who asked, the first chapter is set in freshman year at Barden, chapter two is sophomore year at Barden, chapter three is senior year at Barden and chapter four is the year after they graduated. I hope that helps! Thanks for your feedback!**

* * *

"See, this year we can get the bigger tree because it'll fit in the house!"

"That doesn't make it okay, Jesse. That tree is TWICE the size of me".

They had been decorating the Christmas trees together for years. But that year was different.

Maybe it was the excessive amount of husband and wife decorations Chloe had forced upon the newly married couple (Jesse thought it was cute, Beca thought it was sweet but over the top nonetheless).

And maybe it was because this was their first house. Not their first home (because they had their apartment off campus at Barden, and then their apartment when they moved to LA), but their first actual house. The house that they decorated and made memories and would raise a family of their own.

(Jesse was trying his hardest to convince her. "But Beca! Come on! I told you, having aca-children was inevitable!" "Nope". He was wearing her down. He knew it.)

Beca smiled, standing back and fiddling with her rings (it was a bad habit of hers, one that she had picked up after Jesse proposed. It had been a dead giveaway when they went to announce it to their friends, as she nervously twisted it around). "it is a nice looking tree, though", she admitted. It was eight and a half feet tall ("It is not twice your size, Becs. But I think we'll get a ten foot one next year, just to prove that I can get one twice your size").

"It is, it really is", Jesse said, pushing the empty box that had stored their decorations aside. Brushing off his hands, he headed into the kitchen, the thought of hot chocolate on his mind.

"_The Grinch_ is on tonight", he called as an afterthought, pulling out the snowman shaped mugs from the cupboard.

"If that's a dig at me-"

"Just stating a fact, wifey". Jesse's eyes twinkled the way they did every time he referred to her as his wife, and Beca smiled back. "And _Love Actually_'s on later. Its tradition, Becs".

That night, Beca found herself curled up on the couch beside her husband, nursing a snowman shaped mug of hot chocolate, a bowl of popcorn resting beside them. Their Christmas lights sparkled and tinsel decorated the house, Love Actually playing out on the flat screen.

(Beca didn't know when her life had become a Hollywood film, but she was darn glad it had.)


	6. Chapter 6

"This is your first tree, Melody Claire", Jesse crooned, as he lifted her above his head.

"Jesse, she's four days old", Beca protested, as he tried to get to put the star on top of the tree. "We don't want a repeat of her birth".

As the nurse handed her the sweet baby girl, Jesse had lifted her into the air, warbling the opening notes from the classic Disney film. And Beca, absolutely exhausted, had snapped (she said snapped, he said bellowed) from the bed "get her down before they declare us unfit parents!" While the nurse had slightly chuckled, Beca knew that she was judging her.

(Also because Beca had screamed at her, halfway through Melody's eleven hour labour, that if she didn't get drugs soon she was going to kick her in the head. And then she was informed that she was too far along for drugs and sent Beca into hysterical tears.)

"It's your first Christmas baby girl!" Jesse cooed, cradling her to his chest gently. "I know you're not going to remember this, and you won't remember next Christmas either. But Mummy and I are just going to make it better, little girl. Just you wait and see. And you aren't going to be afraid of Santa like Aunt Mikaela was. Because- and don't tell Mummy I told you- Santa is just Aunt Amy dressed up".

Beca chuckled, settling herself on the lounge. The tree had been decorated during the first weekend of December, waiting for that tiny baby to make her way into the world.

"Just for you, baby girl", Beca said softly, as Jesse passed her the baby. "Happy first Christmas".

"Now, time for some classic Christmas television", Jesse declared.

"What?"

"The Grinch", he declared. "And when she goes to bed, we're watching Love Actually".

"What?"

"Christmas tradition, Becs! We've got to start early with this one, I don't want her turning out too much like her mother". Jesse kissed Melody's head. "I almost got her too late, Melody, Daddy's not going to let that happen to you".

Beca groaned. "Start the damn movie, Jesse".

"She's a fast learner", he added, pressing play on the remote.


	7. Chapter 7

"Santa's not scary", newly turned three year old Melody Swanson pronounced carefully, as she forced her body weight onto the two bouncers in the middle of the living room. "Santa's funny. And he brings presents!"

Her seven month old twin brothers just started at her in wonder, before breaking into gummy smiles. For Zachary and Henry Swanson, their older sister absolutely lit up their lives.

"Mel, what are you doing?" Jesse called from the kitchen. "You aren't touching the tree, are you?"

(He could see perfectly well what his daughter was doing, but the three year old adored the baubles. And, if she wasn't caught, would carry them off cheerfully, to be found later by Beca.)

"No, I'm just talkin'". She shrugged. "Hey Daddy?"

"Yeah babe?"

"How does Santa know what Henry and Zac want?"

"You wrote letters, remember?"

She rolled her eyes, looking scarily like her mother. "But they're babies! They can't talk!"

"Mummy and I just know what they want".

"But how?"

Jesse faltered (because his daughter was a never ending stream of questions). "You know what, Melody? Why don't you go and ask Mummy?"

Ten minutes later, Beca carried Melody down the stairs, scowling when she caught sight of Jesse. With her arms around her mother's neck, Melody was rambling (like a Swanson) about what was going to happen.

"She's your kid", she told him over Melody's chatter. Jesse just laughed, holding out his arms.

"Come here, Mel, come to Daddy. Tell Daddy what we're gonna do for Christmas".

Melody's blue eyes brightened, and she slung one arm around her father before waving the other animatedly, making both her parents laugh and the twins roar (because their big sister was hilarious).

And that night, when Melody had crashed out on her father's chest and the twins had passed out milk drunk in their mother's arms (the whole Swanson family sitting in front of the nineteen nineties classic The Grinch), Jesse turned to Beca with a grin.

"You know, Christmas with one is good", he said cheerfully, "But Christmas with three is going to be even better".

She groaned, shifting slightly. "You're such a weirdo!"

"I'm your weirdo! And don't you forget it!" he leant towards her, capturing her lips with his and making he grin.


	8. Chapter 8

Years earlier, when Beca was pregnant with Melody (who, Fat Amy couldn't believe had just turned six); they had attended a Christmas carols night at the local community hall. And while Beca was, as she had so eloquently put it, fat and overly pregnant, she had loved seeing the kids so excited about Santa Claus.

So Fat Amy had made it her mission to get her nieces and nephews that excited about the jolly fat man.

"Ho ho ho!" Fat Amy called, waving her bell, slinging her sack over her shoulder. She had visited all the houses she knew, and she had received all the letters.

But there was still one more house to visit.

(And Santa was allowed to be a bit biased. That house was her favourite.)

"Ho ho ho!"

"Santa!" Melody shrieked in delight, and Aubrey opened the door with a grin.

"Santa's here!"

Unlike the year before, where little Madeleine McDonald, Chloe's then eighteen month old, had shrieked and ran to her mother's arms, she stepped forward.

"Hi Santa", she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Are you going to give Santa your letter?" Chloe coaxed, one hand on her six month pregnant belly.

Maddie leant as far as she could, dropping the letter into the bright red sack.

"Madeleine McDonald, so brave! And you're going to be a big sister in the New Year, I heard? You'll have to help your little brother or sister write their letter next year", Amy told her. She scanned the room, looking for Stacie and Ryan's little boy. "Kai Brennan! I believe you're going to be a big brother!"

The almost two year old looked unsure, and overly pregnant Stacie (who was due on the thirty first of December and was wildly uncomfortable), gently pushed him forward.

"Go and give Santa your letter", she said sweetly.

"Come on Kai", Melody said cheerfully, taking her cousin's hand.

"Is that little Melody Swanson?" she gasped. "Look how tall you're getting!"

Melody beamed (because Beca was convinced that her daughter had inherited her short stature). "Thanks, Santa!"

"Your letter was so nicely written last year I read it three times".

Melody's eyes widened and she looked at her aunt in wonder.

"Wow", she breathed.

"Where are those brothers of yours? Zac and Henry Swanson… there you are! The two that look so alike even Santa confuses you". Fat Amy chuckled (because she genuinely did have difficulty telling the Swanson twins apart. Some days it was easy, but when the three and a half year olds were feeling particularly mischievous, they made it as hard as hell).

She pointed to the little boy, a mini Jesse Swanson, wearing an orange and blue shirt. "You are most definitely Zachary".

He nodded. "I asked for a bike this year Santa!"

"I know! And Henry, I believe you've asked for a scooter?"

The little boy in green and red nodded. "And a dinosaur".

"There's one two more", Fat Amy said, scanning the room. She had seen Melody and the twins, she'd seen Kai and Maddie… but she hadn't seen Benji's little boy or Aubrey's kids.

"Luke Applebaum", she voiced, scanning the room. The newly turned one year old- only born three days before Melody- was sitting in his father's arms, his thumb firmly sitting in his mouth.

"Give Santa your letter!" Maddie said in surprise (because she had been brave, and Luke was a daredevil, crawling on carpet before a hard surface and scoring carpet burn to his baby skin).

"Say thank you to Santa?" Benji encouraged, and his wife Beth nodded enthusiastically. Luke wordlessly shoved the enveloped at his disguised aunt and Fat Amy smiled.

"Where are the Mosely kids?" she questioned, because she actually couldn't see Aubrey's kids anywhere.

Isabella (Bella) and Jacob Mosely were, for the most part, hidden behind their father Austin, as Aubrey encouraged them forward. Born only thirteen months apart, they were as close as the Swanson twins, but terribly shy.

"Come on Bella!" Henry said brightly. "Santa's gotta have your list so he knows what to bring!"

Jacob tugged his sister forward, all but forcing her to put her letter into the Santa sack.

"Is that everyone?" Fat Amy asked.

"Mummy, you didn't put your list in!" Maddie turned to Chloe, and the redhead smiled.

"It's okay, sweetie, we put our list in the mail so Santa could get it".

"Oh".

"I've already got your mummy and daddy's lists", Fat Amy told Maddie. "They're not going to miss out".

"Good", Zac said firmly.

Fat Amy, waving cheerily, moved towards the front door.

"Merry Christmas to all! And to all, a good night!"

"Wow", Bella whispered.


	9. Chapter 9

"Question", Beca called down the stairs, and newly turned twelve year old Melody looked up from her magazine.

"Yes Mother?"

"So, now that none of the kids believe in Santa any more, are we not doing presents?" she said, and Jesse started to laugh.

"Hey Mum?" nine year old Henry called.

"Yes?" she paused for a moment, taking in the boy. "Yes, Henry?"

"I think it's sad that you can't tell us apart", Zac said, appearing beside his brother, holding an ice cream sandwich.

"if we pretend to believe in Santa, can we still get presents?"

(Jesse started to laugh, because he had asked the same question when his younger by seven years sister Mikaela decided that she didn't believe in the jolly fat man. Like father, like son apparently.)

"Hey, Brielle still believes in Christmas", Melody protested, naming the four year old baby of her cousins, and Beca shook her head.

"I spoke to Aunt Stacie this morning, apparently Kai didn't get the memo. Aunt Stacie's very upset".

(in hysterical tears, Stacie had called Beca- why, Beca didn't know, as Chloe had always been the one to calm any of them down- sobbing that her baby didn't believe in Santa Claus anymore. Beca had sympathised, because she had reacted in much the same way- choosing to call Chloe- when the twins revealed that Santa wasn't real.)

Jesse just laughed, coming behind Beca and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Wait, does that mean we're not doing the annual family Santa photo?" Melody questioned.

"Oh no, we're doing it", Jesse said. "It's tradition, Mel!"

"So's Santa", Henry argued.

"Santa's real!" Jesse protested.

"Dad", Zac sighed, and Jesse frowned.

"What's wrong with them, Bec? You've influenced them or something". He turned to face his three kids. "have you been spending too much time with your mother?"

"Jesse!"

"Dad".

"Guys, smile!" Chloe called encouragingly.

"Aunt Chloe", Henry protested, "There's too many of us for a good photo!"

"Nonsense!"

It had been twelve years since the first day that Fat Amy had dressed in a Santa suit, preparing herself for 'aunt duties'. But she didn't care. Every year she would don the red and white suit, just to see the looks on her younger nieces and nephews faces as she took their letters, posed for photos with the entire family, and carried on her day with bellows of 'and to all a good night'.

But they had to go and ruin it by not believing in Santa.

(That was so not going to stop her.)

"We've got all day, Kai", Ryan, Stacie's husband, sang to their eldest, and Kai frowned.

(They knew it was just Aunt Amy. They didn't know why it was such a big deal.)

(It was such a big deal, Aubrey had snapped, because it was tradition and she didn't care how old they got, they were going to get a Santa photo!)

"Zachary!" Jesse said incredulously. "What was that face even for?"

"I didn't do it!"

"That was Henry, Uncle Jesse".

"Jacob pinched me!"

"Jacob! Why would you do that?"

"Smile, look presentable to Santa can get a photo and he can continue onto the next houses!" Cynthia Rose told them, armed with the camera.

(Somehow, it had seemed easier when they were little.)

* * *

After countless attempts, the huge extended aca pella family managed to get one decent photo. And that photo was framed and joined the rest of the holiday photos on the mantle, and their children looked happy and embracing the magic that was Christmas.

(Because even though they denied it, seeing Aunt Amy in a Santa suit did bring magic to the season.)


	10. Chapter 10

Their extended aca pella family had many traditions. The Santa photo at the mall with all the kids, the 'Santa package' they opened on Christmas Eve (which, without fail, contained a pair of Christmas pyjamas, a holiday themed DVD and a box of microwave popcorn and M&Ms), and their secret Santa. They drew the secret Santa before Thanksgiving arrived, giving everyone plenty of time to decide what to buy.

But every year, without fail, someone would ask another for assistance in gift buying, and they would inevitably find out.

(When Henry was five he drew Stacie's name, and asked Jesse for help in what to buy her. Jesse, who never knew what to buy Stacie and without fail asked Beca, approached his wife, who then asked Ryan, Stacie's husband. Ryan, who had missed the fact that it was for his nephew's secret Santa, asked his wife and when Henry found out, burst into tears.)

"Hey Ma?" Melody leant against the counter and Beca turned to her, holding a wooden spoon and a pair of tongs. "Wait, what are you doing?"

"making a pumpkin curry that better taste freaking fantastic, this is probably the most complicated thing I've ever attempted", Beca grumbled, brushing stray hairs out of her face. "What's up?"

"I need help with my secret Santa".

"If we're having a repeat of last year's incident, I suggest you take your questioning to your father".

"That's the problem! I picked Dad! And I already got him something really great, but I don't know what to get him for secret Santa!"

"Melody, sweetheart, I know this isn't going to be much help… but just get him a movie or something. You know how much he loves his movie".

(Hell, his three children loved movies. Their DVD collection was bigger than anything Beca had ever seen.)

"But that's the thing, Mum. I don't know what you've got him, or what Toby and Henry have got him, or anyone else! And besides, we've got every movie ever made, and Dad gets all the new releases for free from work".

"Dad's the worst person to buy for", Beca agreed cheerfully.

"Are you talking about me?" Jesse called.

"Talking about you, not to you dear", Beca said with a grin.

Jesse just grinned. "You discussing what to get your dear daddy for the silly season?"

"Nope".

"You're very much like your mother, Melody Claire".

"Thank you". She grinned, the cheesy Swanson grin that had captured Beca's heart in her freshman year of college (not that she'd admitted it. Jesse's head was big enough already).

* * *

"Time for secret Santa!" Kai announced cheerfully, and Brielle grinned.

"Did you end up choosing something for Dad?" Zac leant over to Melody and she frowned at him.

"Shut up Zac".

(After her mother was deemed useless in determining a present for her father, she had approached the twins. And apparently they were equally as useless as their mother.)

"And yes", she hissed back, Henry grinning.

(Jesse was the worst person in their family to buy for.)

When Jesse tore open a box of microwave popcorn and a gift voucher for their nearest DVD store, he broke into a grin.

"I'm going to guess my Melody Claire?"

"No, me". Maddie grinned, and Jesse turned to his niece. "you're really hard to shop for, Uncle Jesse".

"No, it was me", Melody admitted, and she wrapped an arm around Maddie. "Not this loser".

"Melody", Beca chastised.

(It wouldn't have been Christmas without insults thrown.)


	11. Chapter 11

It was the first Christmas since Melody's birth that there weren't footsteps thumping around, trying to sneak and find presents that Beca and Jesse had hidden.

"I can't believe Melody's spending Christmas in New York", Jesse griped. "She's just met the guy! She's just a kid!"

"They've been together for a year and a half", Beca pointed out. "And she's nineteen".

"They've been together since June", Jesse corrected.

(Melody Claire was apparently in a relationship that started much like her parents'. They had spent their first year of work flirting innocently, before she decided that he might be worth her time on a date. And the rest, Stacie had chuckled, was history.)

"It's not just Mel this year", Beca reminded him. "With the boys gallivanting all over the world…" she sighed heavily.

For the first time since having children, their house would be quiet during the holidays. There would be no excited shrieks before dawn (because her children were just like her husband and no matter how old they got, Zac would bellow "Santa's been!" before daylight). There would be no sneaking presents down under the tree in the dead of night, and no sneaking around to hide presents from sneaky siblings. The house would be quiet, and despite their kids being all grown up, Beca and Jesse weren't used to it.

(Their kids were anything but quiet. Melody had been born bellowing with lungs that had made her Aunt Aubrey proud, and Henry and Zac had followed suit.)

"No, there'll still be people around", Jesse said confidently. Christmas was always hosted at the Swanson house, and they always had the footsteps of their nieces and nephews (who, despite being almost adults themselves, had never grown out of their thundering footsteps that shook the whole house) to bring life to the house.

"still won't be the same", Beca grumbled, showing Jesse the pout that he still thought was oh so adorable on his badass Beca, and the pout that all three of their kids had inherited.

* * *

The sun wasn't anywhere near coming up on Christmas Day, when Jesse's phone started to ring.

"Jess", Beca murmured, nudging her husband with her foot. "Get the phone".

"You get the phone", Jesse mumbled.

"It's ringing".

"Answer it".

As if on cue, Beca's phone joined in the ringing and she groaned dramatically, rolling over and snatching it up.

"Answer your damn phone, Jesse", she snapped, before holding her own to her ear. "You better be dying!"

"Mother!" Henry said, aghast. "What kind of Christmas greeting is that?"

"Hello?" Jesse said groggily.

"Merry Christmas old man!" Melody said brightly, and Jesse rubbed at his eyes.

"Mel, you're in New York".

"Henry", Beca groaned. "What are you calling for?"

"It's Christmas!" the siblings said at the same time, making both Jesse and Beca roll their eyes.

And if on cue, because they were all aware of the third child missing, their landline began to ring. Beca, putting Henry on speakerphone and leaving her phone on the bed, snatched up the landline from the desk.

"Merry Christmas Zac", she said knowingly, making Melody, Henry and Jesse chuckle.

"Aw, merry Christmas Mum!"


	12. Chapter 12

"Grandma!"

"Pa!"

"We're here!"

It was almost a given that their children would arrive home at the same time. The twins told them it was caused by their twin telepathy, and Melody coordinated with them, apparently. And it was a given that their seven grandchildren would come screaming towards the house, arms flailing and waiting to be caught by their grandparents.

"You're here!" Jesse enthused, trying to wrap his arms around them all at once. "You're all here!"

"Grandpa!"

"Pa!"

"Hi Grandma!"

"You're here!" Beca laughed, squeezing them tight. "Come inside, its freezing!"

"Hey Mum", Henry said with a grin, squeezing his wife's hand as he greeted his parents.

Melody Swanson, despite Jesse's worries, had married the man from work. Melody Swanson was now Melody Lipstein, wife and mother of three. Seven year old Zoe was a spitting image of her mother and grandmother at the same age, proving that the genes were strong. Five year old Toby had the same cheeky grin that she and her brothers had sported on so many occasions, and three year old Noah's eyes sparkled like his grandfather's.

Zac Swanson, the boy who swore girls were gross (making Beca and Jesse laugh) was now a husband to Alexis and father to three year old identical twin girls, Charlotte and Bethany (Charlie and Beth, respectively). And just like his sister had Jesse wrapped around his finger, his girls were curled very tightly around his pinkies. Beth and Charlie believed that Toby hung the moon and the stars in the sky just for them, and Toby was happy to let them believe that.

And Henry Swanson (while Melody had never admitted it, she and their cousin Maddie had a bet going that Henry would be the bachelor), the younger of the twins, was a wife to Alison and father to three. Noah and Joel, born just thirteen months apart, were as thick as thieves and closer than Henry and Toby had been as children. At six and five, they were mischievous and always plotting things against their cousins- but were the first to protect three year old Alice.

Christmas with their grandchildren was even crazier than it had been when Beca and Jesse were raising their own kids… but neither of them would change it for the world.

* * *

Beca had thought that Melody and the twins were up early.

They were up late in comparison to their own offspring.

"Santa came!" Toby hollered at the top of his lungs.

"Beca", Jesse murmured, nudging his wife. "Santa came".

"Get lost its three in the morning", she murmured back.

"Grandpa!" and Alice bounded into the room, wearing her brand new Christmas Eve pyjamas (because their kids had carried out their Christmas Eve box tradition), leaping between her grandparents on the bed.

"Get up, Becs".

"Get up, Jess".

* * *

By that night, the kids were passed out on the living room floor, among wrapping paper and boxes and their gifts, stuffed full of turkey and all the trimmings. The fire was roaring and _It's a Wonderful Life_, their Christmas Day tradition, was playing on the television.

"And just think, Becs", Jesse said brightly, as Beca held their youngest grandson to her chest, Noah's chest rising and falling in his sleep. "It feels like just yesterday you were fighting the inevitable. And Christmas sweaters".

Melody laughed, and Beca groaned.

"You are such a weirdo!"


End file.
